Help??

[ant2781]

I have just come back from a viewing and speaking to the lady showing us around (grandaughter of the owner) its been on the market for 4 months and we are the 2nd person to view the property. Her uncle is currently thinking of moving estate agents.

The property price currently stands at 129950 but with stamp duty going up soon i would have to pay say 1300 on that price.

Im hoping to offer 124950 because i believe it to need modernising, an upto date boiler and some of the electric units updated i.e. consumer unit etc.

As he want to move estate agents am i allowed to nip and buy it from him privately saying him around £2000 + vat on estate agent fee's? which would make up some of the difference from my offer to his asking price.

thanks Ant.

[IFA]

With only 2 viewings in 4 months the vendors will probably be happy to accept below asking price, and they will hopefully understand the logic behind your sub £125k offer so there's no harm in putting that to them via the agent.

Most estate agent's contracts will state that commission is payable if the property sells to a buyer that they have introduced to the property (which includes you now) even if the deal is done privately, or through a different agent at a later date, so approaching the owners directly is unlikely to save them the liability of paying fees.

If you are going to offer it may be worth starting a little lower than your "best & final" so that you have room to negotiate upwards and "meet halfway" should they reject your first offer amount, and you never know, they may even say "yes" to a lower offer.